1,800 mobile towers in Mumbai are illegal

With nearly 1,800 mobile phone towers in the metropolis being illegal, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is contemplating action against their operators, BMC Commissioner Sitaram Kunte said.

The BMC has also assured that it would amend its policy on mobile towers and would see to it that not more than two towers are installed on a building.

The issue of health hazards due to the radiation from mobile towers was raised recently in the general body meeting of the civic body.

The councillors in the BMC suggested strict action against the illegal mobile tower operators, responsible for causing severe health risks like cancer,

headache among others.

"The BMC has the right to remove illegal mobile towers," Kunte told reporters. The telecom ministry has to check the radiation from mobile towers. "The equipment which are fixed in the mobile towers whether they are in the set norms... that should be checked by the telecom ministry," he said.

"There are 3,600 mobile towers in the metropolis. One thousand and eight hundred of them are illegal," Kunte said. The BMC commissioner also said action was taken against 150 illegal mobile towers. "However, after that mobile tower operators moved the court." The matter is sub-judice now.

Last week, the corporators had asked the BMC to eliminate health hazards and fear of radiation from mobile towers.